


It's Purim Time

by cheeky_blinders



Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2020-01-01 09:05:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18332930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheeky_blinders/pseuds/cheeky_blinders
Summary: Alfie wants to take Tommy to celebrate Purim with him.





	It's Purim Time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TinyPineTrees](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinyPineTrees/gifts).



“Alfie, no, I’m not coming with you!” Tommy said with a groan as he laid there in bed, naked, with Alfie next to him.  
“Oh come on, mate! Purim is the best.” Alfie replied. Tommy shook his head as he reached over and grabbed a cigarette, lighting it, and placing it in his mouth.  
“No, Alfie. I won’t know what’s goin’ on and I’ll stick out like a sore thumb.”  
“No, you won’t!” Alfie replied with a pout. “Besides, it’s a fun holiday. We dress up, eat lots of food, drink tons too. And besides, this year I got the starring role of Esther.”  
“Who’s that?”  
“Oh, just the main character, ” Alfie said, smirking then. “Just the one who saves the Jews from Haman thanks to her cousin.” At the mention of the word “her,” Tommy raised an eyebrow and glanced over at Alfie. “That’s right, mate,” Alfie said, grinning now. “Esther is a woman. Do you really not know any fucking thing about Jews? Blimey.” Alfie shook his head. “Gotta look the part too, you know. Wig, dress, everything.” 

The thought of Alfie wearing a wig and a dress did cause a smile to cross Tommy’s lips. He had to admit that he wouldn’t mind seeing that. “Fine,” Thomas announced with a dramatic sigh and Alfie grinned. “I’ll go to the fucking event with you.” Alfie pressed a quick kiss to Thomas’ cheek before jumping up. “Where are you going?” Thomas asked as his eyes ran across Alfie’s naked body.  
“Gotta go practice, mate. Esther has got to be fucking perfect. I’ll pick you up tomorrow around five.” Within a second, Alfie had pulled on his clothes once more and pressed a final kiss to Thomas’ head before slipping out of the room. 

The next day, at 5:00 sharp, Alfie picked Tommy up in the car. Tommy said nothing as he climbed in, pulling his suit jacket down a little to straighten it out. “Blimey, you’re gonna stand out,” Alfie commented as they drove.  
“What, why?” Thomas asked, with a groan.  
“Everyone’s dressed up, mate. Kids and adults too.”  
“Why didn’t you tell me?”  
“Because I knew that you wouldn’t have said yes. Too late now.” Thomas let out another groan while Alfie just laughed.

It did not take long for them to reach a warehouse where a small group of cars sat parked. Tommy said nothing as he and Alfie got out. “Don’t worry, you’re going to love it,” Alfie promised Tommy, giving the other’s hand a squeeze before heading in.  
The warehouse was decorated all over with bright bits of paper and streamers, thrown about like confetti that was hanging off the walls and ceilings. There was a stage at the front of the warehouse with chairs lined up in rows in front of it. Behind the stage was a set that was a scene of a castle. The warehouse was lit rather brightly with candles, giving off a nice glow.

And the people. There weren’t more than perhaps 50 or so, but a majority of them were dressed up in some costume or another. The children were running about, screaming and laughing, also dressed up in ridiculous looking costumes. Did the costumes relate to the story? Tommy wasn’t sure. He looked around silently, trying to figure this all out. Was that a dragon costume that some middle-aged woman was wearing? One child was definitely a clown. All of these costumes were homemade and some took a lot of imagination to figure out what they were. 

“So why do people get dressed up?” Tommy asked Alfie as they walked around, Alfie greeting various people.  
“Don’t really know why but it’s the tradition. The little ones love it too.” Alfie said, grinning as he watched a girl dressed up as a fairy run screaming by them.  
“Ah, Alfie! Chag Purim Sameach!” The two men looked over and saw an elderly woman coming towards them.  
“Ah, Bubbe Ruth!” Alfie cried, leaning down and giving the woman two kisses on her cheek and then hugging her. The woman could not have been more than 5 feet tall and wore a bright pink dress and black shoes. Her hair was white at this point and her skin was old and wrinkly. Despite her age, this woman seemed to have endless amounts of energy. “Bubbe Ruth, I would like you to meet a friend of mine. Thomas Shelby.” Alfie declared, introducing the old woman to Thomas.  
“Pleasure,” Tommy said, offering the woman his hand to shake.  
"What?” She asked, cupping her ear.  
“Pleasure!” Tommy answered in a louder tone and Ruth grinned.  
“Aren’t you just adorable?” She declared, ignoring Tommy’s outstretched hand and reached up, giving his cheek a tight pinch. “Cute as a button!” She added before letting go of Tommy’s cheek and hurrying off to talk to another person.  
“So that’s your...what did you call her? And what was it that she said to you?” Tommy asked, rubbing his now red cheek.  
“Bubbe, mate. That’s Yiddish for ‘grandma’ She’s everyone’s fucking grandma. That woman has been around for years. Nobody even really knows how old she is. And she said ‘Happy Purim’. Everyone will be sayin’ it.” Alfie grinned then. “Now, I need to go get dressed but go grab yourself a drink or two. Feel free to sit anywhere.” Alfie gave Thomas’ cheek a quick kiss before disappearing into the crowd.

Feeling incredibly awkward and unsure, Tommy went for what he knew best. Alcohol. There was a table dedicated to the drink and Tommy eagerly grabbed a drink, downing it quickly before reaching for another one. “Easy there, mate.” A man who was dressed as a police officer commented. “Don’t want to get drunk before the play.” Tommy ignored him as he swallowed his second drink then grabbed a third. He then wandered off to the shadows of the warehouse and stood against the wall, watching the people around him.

Tommy stood there for about ten minutes or so before a man got up on the stage (he was dressed as a pirate, complete with an eye patch and all) and announced that the play would be starting. People hurried to the seats then, with children getting the priority of sitting in the front. Tommy found a seat in the back, next to a woman and her husband. When they smiled at him, Tommy gave a small nod in return. Least they weren’t dressed up in a ridiculous costume.

A group of adults and kids were then led out on stage and Tommy nearly choked on his drink when he saw Alfie. Besides his beard, Alfie was almost unrecognizable. He wore a long black wig and a dark blue dress with a gold sash tied around his waist. The other people too were dressed up as various characters and each one was introduced then to sounds of cheers and claps. When the character Haman was introduced however, there was such an uproar of boos and stamping on the ground, Tommy was taken by surprise and almost spilled his drink on himself.

“Let us begin!” The man dressed as a pirate yelled. “Our story takes place long ago in a far off place! King Ahasuerus was throwing a feast!” The man who was playing the king stepped forward to the cheers of the people.   
“Come, let us celebrate! You are all invited and do not worry, there will be plenty of wine to go around!” King Ahasuerus said which resulted in cheering by the adults. “But look, look at my queen! Queen Vashti, is she not gorgeous?!” A woman stepped forward in a long green dress to the sounds of cheers and curtsied to the king. “Now, my queen! I want to show you off! I want to show you off in nothing but your crown!” The king made a dramatic wink as the people laughed.  
“No!” Came the queen’s dramatic reply and the king made a loud gasp, staggering backward as if this was a great surprise to him.  
“Send her away!” The king ordered once he had composed himself and the queen was led off. “Now, I must find a new wife!” The king said, stroking his beard deep in thought. 

“The king then sent out his officers and ordered them to bring all the beautiful girls to him. Any girl who found favor in the king’s eyes would be the new queen.” The narrator said before motioning for the group of “women” to come on stage. The women were a mix of children (boys and girls in dresses), adult women, and Alfie of course.  
The king walked among the “women” and stroking his beard more before he pulled Alfie out of the mix. “Ha!” He declared. “This shall be my new bride! What is your name?”  
“Esther!” Alfie replied in a deep booming voice which caused the audience to roar with laughter and even caused Tommy to chuckle softly.  
“Meet my new queen everyone! Esther!” The king declared, holding up Alfie’s hand to the sound of cheers before they all filed off the stage.

Up onto the stage next came Mordechai, Esther's cousin. He seemed to be minding his own business when two other men came up on stage and Mordechai hid behind the narrator as if he could not be seen this way, causing a chuckle to come from the audience.   
“Ah yes, tonight is the night!” One of the men said.  
“Tonight is the night we kill the king! I can not wait!” Both men were talking in very loud voices (so the audience could hear). They then wandered off the stage and Mordechai reappeared, frowning before running off the stage.

“Mordechai had heard this plan and reported it and the two traitors were hanged.” The narrator announced then paused to allow people to cheer. “Meanwhile, Haman,” The narrator paused as people screamed, booed, and made any noise they could to drown out the man’s name. Thomas stared around him as grown men booed while children screamed and rattled some odd noise maker. He was not used to the noise but he also was rather surprised to see how much the people, especially the adults were getting into this. Young, old, man, woman, child...everybody was a part of this story. “One of Ahasuerus’ ministers was promoted to the position of prime minister. Haman,” Again, he stopped as people made noise. “Was a virulent Jew-hater..” He stepped aside as a man stepped up onto the stage who was clearly Haman.

“The king has ordered you all to bow down to me!” Haman yelled to which people booed and yelled that no, they would not bow. Haman then turned to where people had appeared on stage, including Mordechai. As Haman walked by them, they all bowed except for Mordechai. “Who are you!?” Haman yelled.  
“I am Mordechai, a Jew. I do not bow down to anyone except for the Almighty God.” Mordechai answered.  
“Then you and your people shall pay for it!” Haman exclaimed. He turned to look at the audience then and pulled out dice from his pocket while the other characters went off the stage. He rolled the dice then and declared triumphantly, “The lot fell on the 13th day of the Hebrew month of Adar. That is when the Jews shall die!” He grabbed the dice and left the stage to the sound of loud boos. 

There was a quick break then so that everybody could stretch their legs. Tommy stayed in his seat, sipping at his drink silently as he watched the people around him. Suddenly, a little boy appeared next to him. “Here!” The boy said, handing Tommy an odd looking wooden thing with a handle and gears on it. “It’s called a gragger and you spin it around real fast whenever anyone says Haman’s name! This way, you drown it out! You can also yell and stamp your feet but this is better!” The boy said.  
“Uh, thanks,” Tommy said as he took this odd noisemaker from the boy. The boy grinned and hurried off, leaving Tommy feeling rather bewildered by this. The play started up again then with Mordecai and Esther on the stage.

“Esther, Haman,” Mordechai paused as people made their noises to drown out the man’s name. Tommy glanced over and saw that the little boy was watching Tommy, shaking his own gregger. After a hesitation, Tommy shook his gregger slowly and the boy motioned for him to go faster. Tommy did and the little toy added to the loudness. 

Once it quieted down, Mordechai continued. “He plans to kill all us Jews and you must talk to the king to get him to stop this!”   
Alfie shook his head, the black wig shaking about. He had to stop a moment and the other man had to helped get it straightened while everybody laughed. “Mordechai, you know that according to the rules anyone who entered the king’s presence unsummoned would be put to death unless the king extended to that person his golden scepter. And I, have not been summoned by the king for thirty days already!”

“Do not think that you will escape the fate of all the Jews by being in the king’s palace. For if you will remain silent at this time, relief and salvation will come to the Jews from another source, and you and the house of your father will be lost. And who knows if it is not for just such a time that you reached this royal position.” Mordechai answered then turned to the crowd. “Come, help Esther!” He declared. 

People began to chant “Esther!” over and over and Tommy found himself whispering her name too. Alfie cupped his hand around his ear then, motioning for people to become louder. His eyes met Tommy’s then and he sent the man a wink before giving an encouraging nod. “Esther! Esther! Esther!” The chant grew to a scream and eventually, even Thomas Shelby joined in, chanting Esther’s name in a loud voice.

Alfie motioned for the crowd to quiet down and then spoke. “Alright, I’ll talk to the king! However, Mordechai, gather all the Jews in Shushan and let them all fast for three days and nights. And after this fast, I will approach the king.” He declared and the actors left the stage as people cheered. The narrator stepped forward then.  
“Mordechai complied with Esther’s request. He gathered the Jews of Shushan, especially the children—22,000 of them—and they fasted, repented and prayed to God. After three days of fasting, Esther donned royal garb and entered Ahasuerus chambers. Immediately, the king extended his scepter.” The narrator moved back as Haman, Esther, and the king took the stage.

“What is it? What is your request?” The king demanded.  
“I would like to invite the king and Haman to a small feast I have prepared,” Alfie said as people (and Tommy) shook their groggers and drowned out the name. The three then sat down at a “feast,”.  
“Do you have something to request?” Ahasuerus asked.  
“Yes,” Alfie responded. “I would appreciate if tomorrow, again, the king and Haman would join me for a feast. And then I will tell the king my request.” Once more, everybody including Tommy booed and drowned out Haman’s name. Tommy found himself enjoying this, something that surprised him. The actors left and the narrator approach again.

“Sleep eluded the king that night, so he asked his servants to read for him from the Royal Chronicles. They complied with the king’s orders. They read from the Chronicles how Mordechai saved the king’s life when two of his chamberlains hatched a plot to kill him.” The narrator announced. “The king asked if this man had been rewarded to which the servants said he had not. And then in walks…” The narrator didn’t even say Haman’s name before everybody was making noise.  
Onto the stage walked Haman and the king then and the king spoke once everyone had quieted down. “My friend, in your estimation, what shall be done to a person whom the king wishes to honor?”

The narrator then spoke. “Haman, who was certain that the king wished to honor him, responded…”  
“Bring royal garment and a royal horse. And let one of the king’s nobles dress the man and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘So is done for the man whom the king wishes to honor!’”  
“Great idea," The king responded. “Now go get the garments and the horse and do so for Mordechai, the Jew!” to which the audience cheered and clapped. At this point, Tommy was involved in the story and he too clapped and cheered. The scene then switched to Haman, the king, and Alfie sitting together, having their feast.  
“What is your request?” The king asked Alfie.  
“If I have found favor in your eyes, O King,” Alfie pleaded, “and if it pleases the king, let my life be granted me by my plea, and the life of my people by my request. For my people and I have been sold to be annihilated, killed and destroyed! It was him!” Alfie pointed a finger at Haman as the crowd erupted into cheers and screams. Haman was led off the stage then as the noise became deafening.   
The narrator motioned for everybody to quiet down then and once they did, spoke. “Our villain was sentenced to hang and thanks to Esther and Mordecai, all the Jews were saved! Now in good old Jewish fashion...we tell the story of who tried to kill us and how we survived! And what do we do best after surviving!?” The entire crowd then yelled in unison.  
“EAT!” People clapped and cheered as the actors came and took their bows before everyone dispersed to get food and drink.

Tommy stayed seated for a few minutes, an odd little grin on his lips. It was how Alfie found him about ten minutes later, dressed in his regular clothes again. “So, whatcha think, mate?” Alfie asked with a grin as he sat down next to Tommy.  
“Not bad,” Tommy said with a shrug, looking rather uninterested.  
“Not bad? That was fucking brilliant! I make a fucking good Esther and you fucking know it! Don’t act coy with me, Thomas Shelby. I saw you cheering and yelling and waving that fucking gragger along with everyone else!” Alfie announced, scoffing at Tommy. Thomas just gave a smirk, raising his drink in a toast to Alfie.  
“Let’s just say I won’t forget the sight of you in a dress anytime soon.” Alfie laughed then and pulled Thomas to his feet. The two went off to get some food and drink. Just about everyone else had the same idea for there was rather a long line for food. The food, however, once they got it, Tommy thought was amazing. He didn’t know half of what was called but it tasted almost as good as Polly’s roast turkey. Perhaps she could try making some of whatever it was that they were eating.  
The two sat on the ground in rather a large circle of other people, everyone talking and eating. 

There was a sense of community here and even though Tommy was an outsider, he did not feel like it. He mostly sat there and listened, occasionally talking when a question was prompted his way. Alfie, on the other hand, could talk for hours it seemed and people loved it. They were constantly coming up to Alfie and congratulating him on his performance.

As people started to finish eating, a band struck up music that filled the room complete with singing. Tommy really was not sure what they were saying and he guessed it was Hebrew. The beat was upbeat and fast and instantly a majority of the children started to dance in the center of the warehouse. The chairs had been moved out of the way so there was a large open space for dancing. Children were soon joined by the adults and they all danced together.   
Tommy and Alfie stood off to the side, Alfie clapping along and singing. Tommy partly watched the dancing but also watched Alfie. Alfie was clearly feeling the effects of the alcohol they had drunk before but he also seemed so relaxed and happy. Thomas smiled quietly as he watched Alfie, the man practically bouncing up and down with the music. “Come on!” Alfie yelled, grabbing Tommy’s hand and trying to pull him into the dancing. 

“No, no, I’ll watch!” Tommy said, pulling his hand out from Alfie’s grasp. He was not drunk enough for that. Alfie shrugged and joined in the dancing. As Tommy watched, he found his foot tapping along with the music and a smile played once more on his lips. Perhaps it was the alcohol that was hitting him but Tommy began to relax and enjoy himself. He was one of the few people who was not dancing and when Alfie came by and tugged on his arm, Tommy allowed himself to be pulled into the group.

That night, Tommy and Alfie had fun. They danced song after song with the community and a smile seemed to never leave Thomas’ lips. They were protected in this community and for once, Tommy could forget about everything. He could forget about the war and the tunnels. He could forget about the work and the gang. Everything. 

The party continued long into the evening and it was nearly midnight when the two men got home. Alfie was quite drunk at this point and he was singing rather loudly in Hebrew. Tommy managed to get the man upstairs and undressed as Alfie began to quiet down. “I’m so glad you came,” Alfie mumbled, patting Thomas’ cheek. “You smiled a lot. I liked that.” Tommy gave Alfie’s head a gentle kiss.

“I had fun.” He answered simply as he turned to get undressed. “I did like you in drag. Think I can see that again?” Thomas teased. When he didn’t get an answer, Tommy turned to see that Alfie had passed out and was snoring softly. Thomas smiled faintly and finished getting undressed before he went over to Alfie, pulling the blanket up around the man and tucking him in. “Chag Purim Sameach, Alfie,” Thomas whispered, pressing a kiss to Alfie’s forehead before climbing into bed and blowing out the candle.


End file.
